Snake-flies, alderflies, lacewings and scorpion flies in Essex
jirafa", another reference to the elongated pronotum. Females are possessed of a disproportionately
long and narrow ovipositor, and this is the source of the generic name Raphidia (Greek Raphidos =
a needle), which was, until relatively recently, applied to all the British species.
Snake-flies are amongst the most elusive of British insects, though they are likely to prove rather
more widespread and abundant than current records suggest. The larvae live under loose bark and
are predatory on other invertebrates. The adults evidently live in the treetops, where they are probably
quite common. Clearly they must descend to lay their eggs; it is not clear if this is done in daytime or
during the night. Adults are sometimes swept from ground level vegetation after strong winds.
Three of the British Raphidiidae are recorded for Essex and the fourth, Atlantoraphidia maculicollis,
may be present undetected in areas of coniferous plantation.
Subilla confinis (Stephens, 1836)
National status: Local (Local) Predicted county status; Scarce/—
Distribution
Warwick Wood at Aveley, South Weald Park and
Canfield Hart at Takeley are the post-1979 Essex
sites for this snakefly. There are earlier records
from Dagnam Park, Romford (1979) and High
Woods, Colchester (1912). In Britain, the
distribution is approximately confined within a
rectangle, occupying the south-east of Britain and
with its north-west corner in Warwickshire.
Habitat and ecology
Unknown. Fraser (1959) suggested that its habits
were similar to those of Atlantoraphidia
maculicollis, a species confined to pine (Pinus)
or larch (Larix) trees. At present, there is
insufficient reliable evidence to support that suggestion. Early identification keys to the snakeflies
have proved unsatisfactory and this has doubtless contributed to the unreliability of the minimal data
that has been gathered.
Threats
Unknown.
Etymology
Latin con = together & Latin finis = end, together meaning "bordering"', hence, possibly, close to
another species - but it is not compared to another species by Stephens in his description. Stephens did
not give reasons for his names!
Phaeostigma notata (Fabricius, 1781)
National status: Local (Local) Predicted county status: Local/—
Distribution
The map shows a spread of relatively isolated records across the county, suggesting that is may be
under-recorded in at least some areas. Elsewhere in Britain, it is widespread, but decidedly local, in
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)
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